Kinsman Redeemer
by LordRandallsLady
Summary: Sometimes out of great tragedy something beautiful is born.  A story of grief, loss and the redeeming power of love. AU Sess/Kag  ABANDONED
1. White Wedding

AN: Well, here I am again with another Sesshoumaru/Kagome story for you. The majority of these chapters will be written for various LiveJournal challenge communities so some chapters may be short if there are word limit restrictions. You have been duly warned. Several oneshots and drabbles are complete so I will post those over the next few weeks, but after that I make no promises about an update schedule.

For those of you who follow my RK stories, I would like to say once again, they are _not_ abandoned. I just have to go as the muse inspires.

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Warning: Character death.

**White Wedding**

Everything that had happened over the past year - all the planning, late nights pouring through magazines, interviewing coordinators – all of it led to this day.

Storm clouds darkened the skies outside the church, but no amount of pouring rain or pounding thunder was going to dampen her spirits despite the old wives' tales. It was _their_ day, one that she'd dreamed about since she was a seven.

Hair was done, makeup perfect. Now she swished around the room in her silk robe, envisioning her first dance with her soon-to-be husband. Thunder and lightening crackled outside the stained glass window of the bride's room, but still Kagome continued to hum…

_Goin' to the chap-el and we're gonna get maaaried,  
Goin' to the chap-el of looove_!

Her best friend and maid of honor giggled at her as she crooned out the Dixie Cups classic. "There's practically a typhoon outside and you're still singing!"

"How could I not, Sango? I feel like my whole life has led up to today. Do you know how _long_ I've waited for this?"

It was a rhetorical question, of course. Sango, Kagome, and Miroku had been inseparable since their first day of kindergarten. Inuyasha had joined their small pack in second grade when he'd transferred to their school.

For Kagome, it had been love at first sight. It had taken _slightly_ longer for the grumbling boy to admit his feelings. Kagome blushed as she remembered that first shy kiss four years later. Her reverie was interrupted by her cell phone, blaring out its tinny version of _Free Bird._

"Oh! That's Yash!" Snatching the phone from her purse, she flipped it open with a giggle, "Hi, honey!"

"Hey, babe! Houshi…the way…! …ten…"

"Yash? Say that again. I couldn't hear you!" she yelled into the phone, fighting to be heard over the static.

"Sess… ing… love.."

"Yash?"

Static… and then nothing.

"Damn! The line went dead."

Kagome hit speed dial, but instead of Inuyasha's voice, she was greeted with, "All lines are currently busy. Please hang up and try again later."

"Double damn. I guess things are down because of the storm."

"What did he say?" Sango asked.

"There was a lot of static, but I think he said he and Miroku are on the way. Something about Sess, too, but I didn't catch it."

Sango stood from where she lounged on the plush sofa. "Well, Ms. Bride, if they're on their way, it's time to get you dressed!"

* * *

Sesshoumaru checked the clock on his dashboard, cursing the unmoving traffic. He _knew _they should have left sooner. Even though church was only about 10 minutes from his apartment, at this rate he was going to be late and Kagome would have his head. She'd vowed to emasculate anyone or any thing that dared ruin her big day. No excuse would be good enough and no one would be left blameless, least of all the best man.

'_Better to be early than face an angry Kagome._'

Despite his exasperation at his current predicament, he smiled, as he often did when he thought of his brother's fiancée. Inuyasha had certainly met his match in the blue-eyed beauty and Sesshoumaru found their relationship a source of amusement when their like temperaments came to blows. Being several years older than his brother, he'd mostly ignored the tempestuous girl Inuyasha had befriended after they'd moved. He'd had his own issues to deal with transferring to a new high school, but as she grew older, he'd come to admire Kagome's fiery strength.

"Finally!" he breathed when he and his fellow drivers inched their way forward as the heavy rain continued its onslaught. Through the downpour he could emergency lights flashing against the buildings. "If you people would just drive instead of gawking we might get somewhere!" he growled at the other cars. Despite his complaint, he couldn't help but glance over as he pulled near the accident.

It looked like one of those SUV monstrosities had plowed through the intersection, wrapping its victim around the light pole. Golden eyes widened in horrified recognition and Sesshoumaru leapt from his car. Horns blared; drivers yelled profanity into the pouring rain, but he suddenly didn't care if he was making the traffic jam worse.

"Sir! You can't be here! Sir!" A uniformed officer moved to block his path.

"Get out of my way!" he growled, grabbing the man's shirt front and pushing him to the side. "That's my brother's car!"

What he saw next would haunt him for the rest of his life. Blood splattered across shattered glass. The entire passenger side flattened until it was one with the driver's seat. On a gurney next to the car, a body was being zipped into an ominous black bag. He caught a glimpse of distinctive silver hair just before it closed. Sesshoumaru, a man known to be in constant control of his emotions, nearly fell to his knees.

"Sir?" another man, this one in a suit, stepped forward. "You know the victim?"

Sesshoumaru nodded mutely.

"I'm very sorry for your loss."

"The driver, Miroku, is he…?"

"He survived the accident, but he's been taken to County General."

Silence stretched as Sesshoumaru grappled with the reality of the situation.

"Sir, is there anyone we should contact? Other family members?"

_Kagome!_ Her name flashed through his mind, forcing him out of his stupor.

"No," he choked out. Clearing his throat he tried again. "No, thank you. I will tell his fiancée."

* * *

Kagome paced as best she could with her train flowing behind her, glancing for the umpteenth time at the clock. She was normally an upbeat, positive kind of person, but it shouldn't take an hour to get here from Sesshoumaru's apartment.

"Something's wrong."

"I'm sure everything is fine," Sango replied, smiling just a little too brightly. "You know how Yash is. Probably thought he had time to stop for ramen." She was keeping a positive front, but inwardly, she was worried, too. Guests were starting to arrive. The ceremony was due to start in twenty minutes, the groom was missing and they hadn't been able to reach anyone's cell phone.

A soft, but firm knock sounded. "Kagome? Can I come in?"

It was Sesshoumaru. Sango hurried to the door to let him in, stopping short at the pained expression on his face. Sesshoumaru motioned Sango out of the room where Kagome's cousin stood waiting to tell her about Miroku. Stepping through the doorway, he entered, closing the door firmly behind him.

"Sess? What's going on?" Kagome paled as she took in his rain-soaked appearance. Something was definitely wrong. Sesshoumaru never had so much as a hair out of place.

"Kagome…" His voice cracked around her name as he reached out to embrace the woman he already considered family. He couldn't say it. Saying it would make it real.

"Sess?" Her voice was a frightened whisper and still he could not speak. He could only hold onto her, this woman who had been so precious to Inuyasha

White knuckles gripped his sodden clothing and he felt Kagome's tiny body begin to shake as the truth dawned in her mind.

"No, no, no…"

She tried to push him away, as if doing so would make it untrue. But he only gripped her more tightly, feeling helpless for the first time in his life as she screamed her agony.

* * *

AN: This opening one shot was written for the LiveJournal community dokuga_contest and their prompt, Horror. It stands at 1226 words. Originally posted April 12, 2010


	2. Shelving Memories

**Shelving Memories**

Kagome caressed the champagne flutes where intertwining initials had been etched into the crystal. Was it only last week that Inuyasha had given these to her?

"Seems like a lifetime ago," she whispered, carefully placing them in the box of stemware bound for storage. As she did, visions of her fiancée's casket being lowered into the earth flitted through her mind.

Covering her face, Kagome burst into tears. Strong arms encircled her and she leaned into them, seeking their strength.

"I don't know how to live without him."

"You know don't have to do this now," Sesshoumaru soothed, his deep voice rumbling through her back.

"Yes, I do." Suddenly angry, she pushed him away. Why couldn't anyone understand? Staying in this place, filled with so many dreams, so many memories of _him_… it was infinitely more painful.

Rising from her seat on the dining room floor, she walked to the piano and began stacking the photos there. She paused at a small portrait, tracing the smiling face.

'_I wish you were here, Mama_,' she thought, another layer of pain wrapping around her already constricted heart. Her mother had gone through this when her father died. She would have known how to help her daughter, known all the right words to say.

But Mama was gone too.

Sesshoumaru came up behind her, gently pulling the picture from her hands and returning it to its place. As if sensing the direction of her thoughts, he turned Kagome, lifting her chin. Kagome closed her eyes, unable to look into the face that was so like Inuyasha's.

"You are not alone, Kagome." His voice was firm even as he tenderly cupped her face, wiping away her seemingly endless stream of tears. Wrapping her once more in his embrace, he whispered, "You are _not_ alone."

* * *

AN: This bit was written for the LiveJournal Community dokuga_contest and their Weekly Perfection prompt, flute. Entries for this challenge were limited to 200 words exactly. Originally posted April 12, 2010


	3. Solitary Requiem

**Solitary Requiem**

He had never been a man who dealt well with emotion. His entire life Sesshoumaru had preferred to bury his feelings deep within his psyche to be examined at a later date that, more often than not, never came. It had earned him a reputation among his peers for being cold, heartless, but he couldn't care less.

The loss he felt following the death of his only brother was treated the same way, even if his reasons for concealing it differed.

_Kagome_…

The woman was lost in a storm of emotion, drifting listlessly through the days following the accident. Sesshoumaru's sense of honor would not allow him to abandon her and so once again, he masked his own pain so that she could draw on the strength that, in the last few days, he didn't always feel he possessed. It was only in unguarded moments like this, when he was alone, that he allowed his emotional walls crumble just a little.

Opening his liquor cabinet, he pulled a bottle of whiskey from the back. Normally, he detested the stuff, preferring the smoother flavors of scotch or bourbon, but he felt the need for something stronger tonight.

For reasons beyond understanding, Kagome had decided to go through Inuyasha's things today, packing up belongings, donating clothes. He knew she wasn't ready for it.

"Hell, _I_ wasn't ready and I'm supposed to be the emotionally constipated one," he muttered, throwing back his drink and pouring another.

Crossing the room, he sank into an overstuffed chair. Sipping the amber liquid now, he winced slightly as it burned its way down. Leaning back and closing his eyes, Sesshoumaru allowed memories of Inuyasha to make their way forward.

As children, the Taisho brothers hadn't been particularly close, most likely due to the 8-year difference in their ages. Inuyasha had been a gruff boy, withdrawn… misunderstood. Sesshoumaru had often brushed aside his younger brother's attempts to gain his attention, a teenager too self-important to care about the problems of his sibling. Their relationship had improved with time, maturity narrowing the gap age had created.

As he sat there, sifting through those memories, many of them tinged with regret, Sesshoumaru realized for the first time just how _much_ he would miss his little brother and for the first time since Inuyasha's death, Sesshoumaru let the barriers fall completely, finally allowing himself to shed his own tears of grief.

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A/N: This installment was written for the LiveJournal community, dokuga_contest, and their weekly Perfection prompt, Bury. Sumbmissions were limited to 300 words exactly. Originally posted, April 14, 2010.


	4. Tea for Two

**Tea For Two**

"Sorry… I saw the light…"

Although it was nearing midnight, Sesshoumaru wasn't surprised to see Kagome. This wasn't her first late-night visit since Inuyasha's death, nor, he suspected, would it be the last.

"Don't apologize. You know it's fine."

Following him into the kitchen, Kagome pulled a mug from the cupboard waiting for him to prepare tea. It was a new routine – share a cup of tea in silence before she left again.

"Not tonight." He'd seen her bloodshot eyes. Taking the mug, Sesshoumaru guided her toward the bedroom.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"You need sleep."

"But…"

"_Sleep, _Kagome," he ordered, pulling back sheets before tucking her beneath the billowing comforter. He turned to leave, stilling when her hand gripped his.

"Stay? Please? I don't want to be alone."

Lying on the covers next to her, Sesshoumaru watched her drift into slumber. In the dim light, he could see the dark circles around her eyes, the sharp relief of cheekbones, both clear signs she wasn't caring for herself. He could imagine how angry Inuyasha would have been if he was able to see her like this.

'_What am I going to do with you?_' Sesshoumaru wondered, tucking back a stray lock of hair.

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A/N: Written for the LiveJournal Community, dokuga_contest, and their Weekly Perfection prompt, Billow, this bit clocks in at 200 words, exactly. Originally posted April 24, 2010.


	5. Wake Up Call

**Wake Up Call**

He'd been up since five o'clock, writing emails and leaving messages, making all the necessary arrangements that would allow him to be out of the office on leave until further notice. Clients were assigned to other partners in the firm; secretaries notified that he would not be taking on any new projects for the time being.

Sesshoumaru had just sat down with the paper prepared for a relaxing morning read while waiting for Kagome to wake when his phone rang, piercing the morning stillness. He'd barely flipped it open when his hearing was assaulted by a frantic female voice. Holding the phone away from his traumatized ear, he waited for the woman to pause for breath.

"Sango, calm down. She's here."

"Oh, thank heavens! I'm sorry to call so early, but…"

"Sango," he interrupted, unwilling to wait through her relieved rambling, but the woman continued as if he hadn't spoken.

"…when she wasn't here, I freaked and…"

"Sango!" he raised his voice over Kagome's friend to cut her off. Glancing at the bedroom door, he hoped he hadn't woken the girl sleeping in the next room. "Can you pack a suitcase for Kagome and bring it over? Enough clothes to last at least a week."

"Umm… sure. Can I ask why?"

"I'm keeping her with me for a while."

"Wha-? Sesshoumaru, I don't …"

"Sango, just bring her things. I'll explain when you get here."

* * *

"You sure about this?" Sango asked rolling her now-empty Coffee Bean cup back and forth between slender hands as she sat at Sesshoumaru's dining table.

"Yes. The accident was months ago. I'm not going to play this game with her any more."

"I knew she was depressed. God, who wouldn't be? I guess I just thought she would eventually pull out of it, you know?"

Sesshoumaru stood, relieving Sango of her container and depositing it in the waste bin. Visions of the lost and frightened look in Kagome's eyes the previous night flashed across his memory. She had become nothing more than a shell of the vibrant woman he'd once known and it tore at him that he'd let her become like this.

"I _do_ know. I suppose a part of me was in denial about how bad she'd gotten as well, but it's time things changed. Kagome needs to be shown there is still a full life to be lived."

Sango remained quiet for a few minutes, contemplating everything he'd said. Sesshoumaru's reasons for keeping a closer eye on Kagome all made sense, but Sango couldn't help but feel that she'd let her best friend down. She'd tried to help Kagome through the crippling loss of Inuyasha, but with so many hours devoted to helping Miroku through his own lengthy and painful recovery, she hadn't been able to spend as much time with the other woman as she'd needed.

"Alright," she finally said, standing as well. "But you call me if…"

"She'll be _fine_, Sango," Sesshoumaru replied, escorting the woman to his door. "Focus on Miroku; I'll handle Kagome."

On impulse, Sango hugged the stoic man, whispering her thanks before dashing out the door. She knew Kagome was in safe hands. Her only worry now was what the two of them would do to each other. Sesshoumaru was about to change the rules on her friend and Sango knew well that when the elder Taisho put his mind to something, he played for keeps. The only problem was, so did Kagome. Sango only hoped the two of them survived the ensuing battle intact.

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A/N: Written for the LiveJournal Community, dokuga_contest, and their oneshot prompt, For Keeps, this bit clocks in at 590 words. Originally posted May 6, 2010.


	6. Confrontation

**Confrontation**

Sesshoumaru switched off the television, dropping the remote into its basket on the side table and stared down at the woman who should have been his sister-in-law. Kagome didn't react to his audacious behavior beyond shooting a silent glare at him. Not that he cared; at least it was _something_ beyond the morose moping that he'd been enduring the last few days – it was a tiny glimpse of the fiery girl he'd once known.

"Shower and change. We're going out."

Kagome said nothing; she merely put her feet on the coffee table, crossing her arms over her chest in defiance.

"No."

"No?"

"_NO!_"

Sesshoumaru had had enough and he let his anger flare.

"Do you think this is what Inuyasha would have wanted? For you to wallow in self-pity?"

"How _dare_ you–"

"How dare I _what_, Kagome? You think I don't miss him as much as you do? He was your fiancé, but he was also my brother. We may not have always seen eye-to-eye on everything, but I still loved him and I have mourned him. But the time has come to move on… to live life again! He loved you for your light, your energy, your vitality. _This,_" he waved a hand at her slovenly attire and lank hair, "is not the woman he knew."

Traitorous tears formed on her lashes and Sesshoumaru saw the hurt in her eyes before she looked away. He knew his words had cut deep, but she needed to hear the truth, no matter how hard. He hated being the one to make her face it, but he also knew he couldn't back down now, not if there was any hope of saving Kagome from herself.

"Either you get up and do it yourself or we do this the hard way. Your choice. Either way, you are _leaving_ this apartment."

The look she shot him was mutinous, and still she refused to budge. In a swift movement, he had her slung over his broad shoulder marching toward the bedroom. Kagome's threats and yells rang in his ears, fists pounded fruitlessly on his back, but he ignored it all. Four months ago, standing at the edge of a fresh grave, Sesshoumaru had promised to take care of the young woman in his brother's stead. Up until this moment, he'd been sorely remiss in fulfilling that oath. He would not let her become another knot in the string of regrets he had where his brother was concerned.

Dropping Kagome unceremoniously onto the bed that had become hers, he ignored the "oof" that escaped as breath rushed from her lungs and Sesshoumaru turned toward the drawer he'd cleared for her things. Pulling out a fresh shirt, jeans and undergarments, he carried them back to where she was laying before hauling her back to her feet.

Sesshoumaru reached for the collar of Kagome's poodle-covered pajamas to unbutton them when she gripped his wrist, digging her nails into the sensitive skin there.

"_I'll_ do it," she bit out between clenched teeth, snatching her clothes from his other hand.

"Be ready in ten minutes," he ordered as she stormed toward the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

Sesshoumaru sat at his desk to quickly check his work email while he waited, his temper steadily rising with each passing minute he didn't hear the shower running. When Kagome's allotted ten minutes were up, he stalked back to the bathroom intent on storming in to see what she was doing only to come up against a locked door.

"Kagome, open this door!" he yelled, pounding with his fist.

"Go away!"

"You can't hide forever, Kagome."

"Watch me, you bastard! Just leave me the hell alone!"

Even with the muffling of the door, her screams were piercing. Sesshoumaru's hands fisted at his sides, frustration fueling a rage that pounded in time with his blood. Turning on his heel before he broke down the bathroom door, he grabbed his overcoat and headed out into the late autumn afternoon, slamming his front door behind him.

He needed to walk, to think, to get the anger out of his system before trying to face her again. He needed to come up with a better plan than just having her move in with him for a while. Simple companionship was not working. This latest confrontation proved that, but he was helpless to know what to do. Somehow, instead of being a friend to help her, his words had turned him into her enemy.

'_Damn it!'_

* * *

Kagome waited a few minutes after hearing the door slam to be absolutely sure Sesshoumaru was gone. Hearing nothing by silence, she cracked open the bathroom door enough to peak out before opening it fully and treading carefully toward the living room. She wouldn't put it past Sesshoumaru to pretend to leave just to lure her out, but Kagome breathed a sigh of relief when she realized she really was truly alone.

Plopping herself back on the couch, she reached for the remote and resumed the channel surfing that had been so rudely interrupted. Punching the remote angrily, she couldn't focus on any of the programs flipping across the screen. Hot, angry tears coursed down her cheeks as she thought about what Sesshoumaru had said.

"He's so… so…!" Silently, she continued to fume what her anger wouldn't allow her to articulate aloud.

'_Inuyasha was right. He __is__ an asshole!_'

Her flipping paused on a nature documentary, watching as a killer whale hunted a baby seal. In her current state of mind, she could relate to the baby seal, feeling tiny and defenseless as the big, bad brother-in-law devoured her.

"I hate him," she whispered… and in that moment, watching as the seal pup's blood stained the ocean, feeling her own heart bleeding from Sesshoumaru's harsh words, she truly did.

There was a small part of her – that voice of reason that she tried so _hard_ to ignore these days – that knew he was right. She could almost hear Inuyasha yelling at her in that endearingly profane way of his about what an idiot she was being. Kagome knew deep in her heart that she needed to move on, that wherever he was, that's what Inuyasha wanted as well. The problem was, she just didn't know how to do that, not without him. For eighteen years, so much of her life had centered around him. Now that he was gone, she felt cast adrift in a sea of uncertainty. She'd allowed herself to become numb to her emotions, deadened to life. It was so much easier than facing the reality of it all.

A quiet knock on the apartment door startled her out of her reverie causing her to grumble in annoyance. The last thing she wanted right now was company, not with the flood of emotions coursing through her.

Figuring it was probably just some door-to-door salesman, she chose to ignore the visitor in favor of more channel surfing, hoping to find something mind numbing enough to make her forget about her confrontation with Sesshoumaru. It was a difficult task, however, when whoever it was would not go away. By the fifth knock, Kagome had become seriously pissed. Dropping the remote roughly on the glass coffee table, she stalked towards the door, yelling as she went.

"Are you completely stupid? I obviously don't want to talk to you so why don't you just go—

Yanking open the door, Kagome was stopped short by the man standing on the other side.

"— away."

"Hi, Kags."

"Miroku…"

At a loss for words, Kagome stared at the man she hadn't seen since the accident all those months ago. In fact, she'd been intentionally avoiding him, despite Sango's numerous invitations to dinner. She wasn't ready to face him, this man who had survived when Inuyasha had not.

They stared at each other a few moments before Miroku broke the silence. "May I come in?"

Kagome stepped aside in silent invitation, noting, but pointedly ignoring, the heavy limp that was undoubtedly a souvenir from the crash. "Why are you here?" she asked, finding her voice again.

"Sango told me you'd moved in with Sesshoumaru," he stated, evading her question as he looked everywhere but at her.

"It's temporary, _believe_ me. As soon as I can, I'm getting the hell out of here."

Turning, Miroku met her eyes, his own twinkling slightly. "Oh? Is he really that bad? I always thought that cold, emotionless act was just a cover—"

"What do you _want_, Miroku?" Kagome asked again, crossing her arms over her chest, ignoring that rationale voice that said she was being unjustly cruel.

The light twinkle in Miroku's violet eyes was replaced with sadness. "Kagome, I'm sorry… so very sorry." He stepped forward, enfolding her in his arms. She remained still, arms at her sides. She could hear the tears in his voice, but she didn't care.

"I know you probably blame me – I certainly blame myself – but I would have given my life for his if it had been in my power. You _must_ know that."

And she did, but Kagome was beyond reasoning. First Sesshoumaru, and now this. It was all too much to take in such a short time and something inside her finally cracked. The wounds Sesshoumaru had opened were ripped wider by this unexpected visit and all the bitterness that Kagome had let fester in her heart towards her friend spilled out.

"You're 'sorry,' Miroku? _Sorry?_ " Her voice rose as she pushed away as hard as she could, causing him to stumble slightly. "Did you come here looking for absolution? For forgiveness?" The laugh that escaped Kagome was bitter and cruel.

"It was a mistake for you to come here, _Houshi_," she continued, mocking the nickname Inuyasha has given his friend. "I will not forgive the man who killed my fiancée. Leave."

"Kagome, please…"

"LEAVE!" she screamed.

Head hanging, Miroku limped toward the exit, pausing in the doorway to look back at the woman who was like a sister to him. Her eyes were clenched shut against the tears that escaped and he could see the trembling of her hand where it gripped the door handle white-knuckled.

"I hope that one day you will find it in your heart to forgive me, Kagome," he whispered before walking toward the elevator. His heart broke when he heard her sobs echo down the hallway, but he did not turn back, keeping his own tears in check until he reached his car.

_BAM!_

The door was slammed shut with a force that made the wood rattle in its hinges for the second time that day. Turning back into the apartment, Kagome's eyes fell on the small, black cabinet residing on the far side of the living room.

'_I can't take any more of this!' _

Just wanting to return to the peaceful nothingness of denial, she walked over to the cabinet and pulled out the bottle of Sesshoumaru's best seventy-year-old scotch.

"It's certainly start," she muttered pulling the cork and downing the amber liquid, not even bothering with a glass. She barely had time to wince as it burned its way down before she partook again.

These returning emotions were too much to bear – the reawakened memories her nemesis – and her escape could not come quickly enough.

* * *

A/N: Written for the LiveJournal Community, dokuga_contest, and their oneshot prompt, Nemesis, this chapter clocks in at 1886 words. Originally posted August 26, 2010.


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